In response to critical remarks made by persons about a speech made by him in which the Nazi dictator Hitler was mentioned, Anunayake of the Asgiri Chapter Ven. Wedaruwe Dharmakeerthi Sri Ratanapala Thera clarified that he only meant governance based on firm policies with this reference.

The thera made such remarks in his address at a function to mark the birthday of former Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa.

Issuing a statement, the Ven. Thera said a couple of words from his lengthy speech had been taken out of context by some politicians with vested interests for misinterpretation to achieve their ends. He compared it to the determination of the shape of an elephant only by touching its tail.

“In a nutshell, I only said some people compared you to Hitler. I only asked him to develop the country. In governing a country, firm policies are required. I never wanted to equal the barbaric administration of Hitler that annihilated people to work done by him,”the thera said.

“The Buddha once said it was better to die in the battlefield rather than living as a defeatist. In saying so, he never recognized war. In fact, the Buddha underscored the importance of an individual’s strength,” he said.

He said it was inappropriate to give political interpretation to what he said in this respect.

Asserting that the Buddha also diversified his discourses befitting various audiences, he said he worded his sermon to the audience of politicians who were present at that birthday event.

He said the adoption of direct policies in governance had been underscored in the Dasaraja Dhamma laid down by the Buddha. (Nadeeka Daya Bandara)